dewdrops in moonlight
by Aiko Isari
Summary: Mimi finds a rabbit on the street and takes it home. She has no idea that she's brought home a little goddess. And Sayo always repays her debts. And what does this have to do with the digital world? Tri divergence.
1. Chapter 1

_Warning for implied animal cruelty_

* * *

Chapter One - A Strange Little Bunny

Tachikawa Mimi was in a terrible, terrible mood.

Everything, including her, was drenched with the rain from a late spring storm. Her hair was matted in clumps, the pink dye starting to fade and her uniform jacket ripped at the edges. Every step she took came with a tap and a squelch. However, for the Mimi of this second, those were the least of her problems.

She was an outcast in her own _hometown._ How awful was that? All she was doing was coming up with something different. They didn't have this stuff in New York! Not like this. There were clubs but a festival… an honest to goodness cultural festival! It was a perfect time to show off a little! Let loose and have fun! It would be a good distraction from the Digimon too. Then they could talk it out over cake and tea. Honestly, it seemed smart to her.

But nobody else seemed to think so.

She sighed and threw her wet hair out of her face. Today was just a _bust_. Even Jou-senpai didn't have any easy answers. But being the senpai had never determined that he would. And to think he was jealous of _her_ …

She made a face. Mimi slapped her cheeks and shook her head, pulling a smile. She would just have to take things as they came. Whether she was merely selfish or overbearing, whether she was self-centered or not, it would have to work out in the end. It wasn't like anyone else had had any ideas. Not about this… and not about the Digimon either.

What were people even thinking? They had seen this before! There were good Digimon and bad Digimon! And their partners were the good ones, what was so hard to understand?

She didn't even want to face Koushiro-kun right now. If he didn't have Palmon (she didn't quite trust being able to bring her home from her house quite yet. Anything could go wrong.) and didn't want to see her sad and think of her lonely face and think, what good _are_ we, she wouldn't even go.

People were so busy calling them monsters, so much like her and her friends during their first adventure. They had faced monsters, but the worst, the scariest, had looked human, had acted by human desires.

They were all such kids, despite them being adults. Everyone was… even her.

As she passed down another street, the high office building visible at this point, a loud bang echoed across the street as a trash can toppled over. Mimi jumped and turned to look at it. It was one of those old style metal trash cans that kids at her elementary school in America had used the lids to get in trouble at recess. They were still phasing them out in Japan too huh?

She almost turned away from it. The winds were getting stronger and could easily knock those lightweights over. Then something small crawled from its depths, pathetic, short noises leaving its mouth in panicked bursts.

Then the smell of blood reached her nose.

Mimi ran to scoop it up. It flinched at first, tense and stiff as her arms wrapped around it.

"It's okay, little guy," she said, the cheer in her voice muted by slight terror. "I'm gonna get you some help, okay?"

Rising from her crouch, Mimi ran the last few blocks to Koushiro's office, everything else forgotten.

* * *

Koushiro, even when he was irritated with Mimi, was never able to resist the hurricane force of her. It was especially difficult when you came into contact with her pleading for help rather than insisting on how things needed to _be_.

So he didn't hesitate to call a vet even though it went against his immediate judgment. He helped Mimi lay the creature in the sink and gently wipe it clean, resisting the urge to look away at the fresh gush of blood. He had prepared for an emergency situation after all and was doing all the more these days due to the situation of the populace in regards to Digimon. The twelve -currently eight- of them and their families could end up in danger. Even with the Bureau helping, Koushiro didn't want to take the risk.

He helped her, even as the creature twitched. Its short black fur soon left dry, purple ended furs pulled out onto the next towel.

That gave Koushiro pause. "Mimi-san," he said quietly. "Rabbits aren't supposed to have purple fur."

Mimi had been busy murmuring to the twitching creature, whose one visible eye was on her. Mimi looked up at him and her eyes narrowed. "So?"

Koushiro almost raised his hands and stepped back, seeing the fury in her simmering to a boil. They were all still angry at each other, angry at everyone and everything. But Mimi-san's anger always ran hot and would cool when placated with something that made sense.

So he took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. "We might not be able to treat it like we would, say, an Amami rabbit, which is what it looks like. So we need to consider the possibility that it might be a Digimon. We'll bandage it, then…" he grimaced. "Let's give them a scan with the analyzer. By then the vet should be here and we'll have some supplies."

He had watched Mimi as he spoke, watched her hunched shoulders gradually fall under her ears. She went back to rubbing the clean spots of fur, her eyes slowly looking down.

"All right," she finally said, "That's… that's okay. That makes sense." She paused. "Thank you, Koushiro-kun."

Koushiro felt his face burn and she laughed. "Oh honestly, you can't react like that all the time," Mimi said to him. "It's not healthy."

He didn't want to risk her mercurial temper by pointing out she was the one causing it this time around (or get the likely questions that he was not confident enough to answer right now), so he only nodded and held the rabbit still as she wrapped the critter's foot up. It continued to watch them with one eye open. It was the quietest rabbit Koushiro had seen in his life, even in those sparse times, his parents had tried to take him to the zoo to see him cheer up. He was afraid to scan them now, in case that changed somehow.

He shook his head. "Let's get ready."

The rabbit watched them in silence.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ I blame Peach for this, but I also love it. I hope all of you join me in loving it the same.

Challenges: Epic Masterclass (adv/02/tri) 5, Epic Big Bang (Digimon), Mega Prompts Quote Prompt 179, Advent Calendar 2017 day 23


	2. Chapter 2

_Warnings: non-sexual mention of nudity_

* * *

 _Chapter Two - Somewhat Non-Committal_

Within an hour after arriving, the vet was gone. They had given advice and a quick call to a supply store, as well as shots. Checking insurances had revealed that Mimi's family had pet insurance. Who would have thought?

Again, the rabbit remained placid, well focused and obedient. The only real moment of panic had been getting them to hold still for the needles. That had only worked when Mimi had given the rabbit a nice scratching behind the ears. When it was over, said rabbit still jumped off of the table and onto the nearest chair, looking at them with what Mimi could only identify as betrayal. How rude. She wasn't going to take that from a _bunny rabbit_.

"Oh come on," she said, hands on her hips. Palmon was staring eagerly at the small creature, despite using her human as a shield because that was a rabbit and rabbits (and rabbit digimon) loved their greens. "We didn't know if you were going to run away. We had to hold you. You didn't have to try and bite Palmon." (who the vet somehow hadn't noticed!)

the large purple eyes only looked at her more thoroughly, unamused. Koushiro managed to hide a smile. "I don't believe she agrees with you," Koushiro supplied.

"That's a girl?" Mimi frowned. "I guess I wasn't looking very hard..."

Koushiro bit his lip. "The veterinarian told me if it's any consolation." It wasn't exactly difficult to figure out the gender of a rabbit, but there were more important things to worry about. "Mimi-san, if you could keep her still again..."

Mimi nodded cheerfully and went back to scratching behind the ears. The rabbit didn't move at all this time, only regarded Koushiro with half-lidded eyes. Koushiro gave his laptop a quick scan before setting to work. He turned the screen to face the rabbit just as it started to shine. They both saw the beady eyes widen before the rabbit disappeared inside of it.

"Uhm... what's going to happen if she's an ordinary rabbit?" Mimi ventured to ask, eyebrow quirked.

Koushiro winced. "She wouldn't have been sucked in like that if she was."

"Oh."

" _Was that really necessary?"_

Koushiro answered without thinking. "Yes. There aren't exactly stray rabbits left to wander the streets of Tokyo..." He looked at the screen then to the large monitor on the nearest wall. Their usual cyberspace wasn't empty, but there wasn't a rabbit in there either.

A young woman was sprawled on the floor. Her purple eyes were narrow and looking right at them, hair falling down past her shoulders and over-

Koushiro immediately looked away, face burning. Mimi almost did but covered her eyes instead. "You're naked!" she shrieked. Not that she was a bad thing to look at... quite the opposite actually. It did, however, make the bandages they had left on her hind legs and left arm much more pronounced, among other things. And very loose, nearly falling off. They had just _tied those._

The young woman blinked at them, one floppy purple ear twitching on the sides of her head. _"Rabbits don't wear clothes,"_ she pointed out. _"What did you expect?"_

She... had a point. Still. "Change that!" Mimi demanded. "You've got to be freezing!"

The woman stared at her. _"I won't have them when I turn back, more than likely... but all right."_ She snapped her fingers and her body was covered in a black tank top and purple skirt. _"Is that better?"_

Mimi let out a harumph. "Much."

Palmon looked between them. "Mimi... I don't wear clothes either."

"Yes but you have modesty Palmon and you can," Mimi reminded her, wagging her finger. "And she looks human right now. It's rude in most societies to walk around without clothes."

"Oh."

Koushiro slowly opened his eyes again. "You manipulated my data space just now..." His embarrassment was quickly being replaced with fascination. "Despite all of my security..." He looked between the woman and Mimi. "How did you do that?"

The woman frowned. _"She asked me to wear clothes, so I did so using the data around me."_

"I see... what." Koushiro gaped outright. "You did it because she asked you to?"

" _Yes. And because there is a draft in here."_

Koushiro looked at Mimi, who didn't look much better about the whole situation. He was just going to ignore the comment about the draft. The system wasn't built to have drafts and no one else had complained. "I don't understand. What kind of Digimon are you?"

The girl shrugged again. _"It's complicated. You could consider me an entity akin to a god if you would like. And I owe Mimi-san a debt. If wearing clothes will allow me to fulfill the debt, then I will do so. I owe you one similar, but lesser, as she chose to help first."_

For a moment, Koushiro could remember the last time someone had been indebted to Mimi and related to the Digital World. Even if he had only been told about it, he couldn't say whether she was still in that state or not.

Lucky for them, Mimi looked just as baffled as he felt. "What? I just picked you up!"

She received a raised eyebrow and a chuckle. _"Yes, you did. In the middle of the rain, while in a bad mood. I could smell it all over you. You could have ignored me and you did not. As is, you both took me in. I wish to repay you both."_ Her eyes flickered to Palmon. _"Alas, the most convenient way has been taken up. So I will look for another way."_

Mimi, to Koushiro's surprise, actually pouted. "You could just ask!"

" _You would come up with something quick and easy to get out of it,"_ the young woman responded, utterly bland. _"Most humans do. I can't blame them. Either something quick and easy or something with long reaching consequences they aren't prepared for."_

"And how are you so sure of that?" Palmon ventured to ask.

The purple eyes rested on them both, glowing with amusement. _"Well, I was human once."_ She yawned. _"Don't worry, young Chosen Children. I have no reason to deceive or betray you. Give you all the answers? Unfortunately, I cannot."_

"Lies of omission are still lies," Mimi said in a prim little voice.

The young woman grinned. _"Then I swear I will not lead you astray, Mimi-san. For starters, I will even tell you my name. My name is Sayo and to the Digital World, I am the Goddess of the Moon."_

" _And you have done a great thing indeed, sweet Chosen Child."_


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three – An Evening Rain_

Koushiro, needlessly put, called _everyone_ he could. Even their new contacts at the government. Even the other younger Chosen, though he knew it was useless. It had been useless for weeks. Their parents had simply stopped talking to them all together, sick of hearing from them with no news, no hope, no nothing. Even _Jun_ had stopped coming around, and she had been trying to get to one of Jou's brothers for three years solid.

It was the most childish thing that Koushiro had seen from an adult in a long, long time. At the very least, a human one. It wasn't like they weren't worried, or not looking. But it wasn't _their job_ to look, now was it? It was something for the police, or adults, or some authority in the Digital World that was not them.

... Maybe it _was_ their job after all. Well, they could only do so much. They weren't adults yet and even if they had been, they weren't the parents. It was impractical to expect this much of them.

Koushiro swallowed these thoughts. It wouldn't help anyone, and the others would disagree because their juniors were their friends and therefore they had to get involved and help. And they were going to keep trying. But he wasn't the chosen of long-lasting optimism. They had Takeru as their closest bet for that.

Speaking of Takeru, the boy came in with Patamon under an arm, wiping his face clean of crumbs, Yamato and Gabumon right beside them. The others had taken their digimon home for dinner. Most people wouldn't have been around at this point. It was warm enough in the spring rain to encourage people to stay indoors and keep people away from asking too many questions.

"Hey." Yamato's hair drooped about his head. He looked tired, sounded exhausted. He also had his guitar case with him. That explained everything. "What's the problem?"

Rather than explain, Koushiro and Mimi pointed together at the large flat screen. Sayo sat on one of the blocks inside, looking at them without a lick of curiosity. Instead, she went back to examining the striped socks she had created for herself with unabashed interest.

"What the hell is that?" Yamato managed to say.

"I'm a who, thank you," Sayo replied, half-lidded eyes on the two of them as if daring them to question her. She probably was.

Patamon flew from Takeru's grip into the air. "Ah!" He shouted, smiling so big it seemed painful. "What kind of Digimon are you?" He seemed very close to diving into the television himse.f

Mimi watched Sayo tilt her head. "A strong one."

"Well, that confirms _so_ much." Yamato mussed up his hair and glanced at Koushiro. "Has she been like this the whole time?"

"She was a rabbit until half-an-hour ago," Mimi said with a pout. "But yeah! She's not telling us much of anything! But she wants to help!" She frowned and tapped her fingers on her upper arm. "I mean, she told us her name but that was all. That's not that useful without anything else."

"Help?" Takeru repeated, pulling Patamon back down. "With what?"

"She hasn't told us that either." Koushiro was back at his laptop. "And the Analyzer isn't working."

"It wouldn't." Sayo yawned. "I'm a strange case. That's why I can't tell you what I am or what I can do. That's dangerous, considering I'm stuck in a world where digimon are currently hated by the populations in power."

"We don't hate Digimon," Mimi said as Palmon bunched her legs, preparing to leap.

Sayo smiled at her. "But you're also _not_ in power."

Mimi bristled, only to deflate. The falling helicopter, smoldering wreckage, people whispering and others screaming... "You didn't have to say it like that."

"Possibly not," the digimon agreed. "But it's a fact that must be faced. None of you have the power to change the minds of humans from where you are now. Not even the ones that have power do. They were rejected when they tried to enter."

Koushiro perked up. "The Bureau? Or do you mean-"

Sayo tilted her head. "Ever since the human year of 1995, if not earlier, your governments have been trying to invade the Digital World. It has failed, information has been wiped. Lies have been told. But they have not forgotten, as the citizens do. The Digimon who live long enough have not forgotten either. So there is tension, and then this virus, born of those things." She shrugged. "It is a... what's the word? A cocktail of sorts."

Yamato opened his mouth, likely to ask for more answers. Mimi wanted to hit him because finally, she was talking and if he got too _tsundere_ about it, she'd get all contrary and not do it.

Wasn't that like being a tsundere too?

Before anyone could though, there was another knock. In came Sora, the Yagami siblings and-

"Jou-senpai!" Mimi's delight was immediately replaced with a frown. "You look terrible."

"I told him that," Gomamon chirped from inside a familiar, ratty duffel bag.

Jou looked at them with baggy, weighted eyes and his school bag heavy on his other shoulder. "I was close by," he said, slumping onto one of the couches. "Cram school canceled for some reason."

Yamato looked at him with weary eyes of his own. "Do you have any coffee, Koushiro?"

"Yeah, it's the second cabinet in the kitchenette." Koushiro was typing again, faster than ever. "It's fairly good."

Yamato grunted in acknowledgment. Then Taichi shuffled past him. "I got it," he muttered. "Yamato once made coffee for my dad and he spittaked into Hikari's face."

"One time, Taichi," Yamato elbowed him in the side. "One time and we can't live it down."

"I can't," Hikari agreed with that pleasant smile that Mimi to this day was sure was hiding multiple bodies and the weapons that did it.

Yamato looked away from it, shuddering a little. Good. He saw reason.

Mimi glanced at Tailmon. "Hikari-chan? Is Tailmon okay?"

The girl looked down at her partner. "Tailmon?"

Tailmon was staring very hard at Sayo. Mimi remembered very vividly that cats ate rabbits for dinner and was about to intervene with Palmon's help when the cat spoke.

 _"You."_

Sayo frowned for the faintest moment. Then she smiled softly. "Do I know you?"

Tailmon's ring glinted in the light as her tail lashed. "I... I prayed to you. To your kind. To save me. Did you?"

Sayo bowed her head. "I take only some credit."

All of the Digimon and humans looked appropriately baffled.

"There's an Olympus mon in this room," Tailmon said slowly. "One of the concepts of Iliad. One of the gods."

Sayo let out a snort. "Oh now that's just exaggeration."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four – The Zodiac Stars

The group of human shared a glance. "Uh..." Taichi started. "What?"

Tailmon shook herself, shivering for a moment like the cold wind now battering the windows and sending rain in harsh stutters. Hikari began to stroke her fur, scratching just under the ears until the tense coil of fur that was the cat disappated into something resembling calm. Finally, she said, "That... that is Dianamon, one of the Olympus Twelve. They are considered protectors, friends of smaller Digimon, they... many prayed to the Twelve."

Tentomon buzzed in irritation. "I've never heard that." The other Digimon nodded in agreement.

Tailmon shook her head. "You wouldn't. File refused the practice of prayer. Even Vamdemon prayed to Marsmon and therefore it became outlawed as it was seen as defamation of the true gods with no name."

"We do not wish to be worshipped." Sayo's comment almost went ignored. "Though my brother and I were often, as some would say, meddlers in the affairs of the young. That does not require worship, only ears and hands and words."

She sounded wry, and, Mimi couldn't help but notice, very old. She followed Sayo's gaze and noticed it resting very solidly on the outside window.

"That is so," the old lion said after a moment. "We were not taught worship. It was... unwise."

"Which unfortunately leads to why I am here. I believe." Sayo paused and walked closer to them. Limped a little, if they were being honest. "Most people are not taught worship, so I was driven out. At least, as far as I'm aware. Except..." She frowned. "It was a human, or of human form. There was a person who found me, and they were quite, quite powerful. Though," Her lip curled into a sneer. "That wouldn't have been possible without help. Still, they did not want a... what was the word, false god, in their equation. That likely means whoever it is is a supporter of your cause, Chosen Ones."

She spoke those words without much guilt, nor much care, at the way the room exploded into conversation afterwards.

Within five minutes, for the first time in years, Taichi and Yamato had actually gotten into a fistfight, with their siblings feebly trying to stop them, Jou-senpai had stormed out and Sora and Koushiro were trying to discuss... something.

Mimi? Mimi took her rabbit from the server and left.

Of course, this was only to scold her, and to text Meimei, who also, for some reason, hadn't shown up.

* * *

"You didn't have to say all that."

"You were asking me for more honesty."

Sayo was the strangest little purple-black rabbit. She was a digimon, yeah, but she was also... a rabbit? She was strangely compliant in Mimi's arms though, even as they took the long way in the rain so Palmon could enjoy it.

Palmon was skipping as they walked, taking extra time in puddles. Mimi smiled, a pout more in her voice than on her face.

"I'm gonna have to dry you off, you know!" Mimi called after her as she leaped ahead. Palmon's giggling reply was enough to warm her heart.

The rabbit shifted in her grip. "I didn't mean to cause such a fuss. I apologize."

Mimi frowned for a moment. Then she relented and began to stroke the wet fur that she could reach. "It's all right, everything's just been too tense and serious for ages now. Something would have set them off eventually." She shook her head. "Was it true? Did you help Tailmon?"

Sayo was quiet for a few moments. Then she exhaled. "I did try. I nudged her to food, I put some targets that she could defeat in front of her. I almost didn't but it kept Vamdemon from nosing about, trying to find us Olympus Twelve."

Mimi couldn't help but grin. "You're a modest one aren't you?"

She got the impression for a brief instant, that Sayo was blushing underneath that fur. "I have never heard such a thing about myself in my life."

"Aww!" Mimi couldn't help it; she poked the bunny rabbit's cheek. Sayo made a strange little noise at her and Mimi, having never owned a rabbit before, assumed it was normal.

The rain was starting to slow and Mimi heaved a sigh of relief. It would probably pick up later, but for now it would be a slightly easier trek home.

The second Mimi thought that (Jou would have and has warned her, Palmon started screaming. Without a single thought, Mimi ran towards her.

A kid from her class was leering over Palmon. A few other guys were staring cautiously at the two of them, noting the way Palmon was trying to edge back in the direction Mimi was coming from.

"Hey!" she shouted, loud enough to make her classmates all jump. They glowered at her together but Mimi glared right back. "What do you think you're doing?! She was just playing in the puddles! She hasn't done anything wrong!"

The boy looked to his friends, which Mimi saw were already starting to edge back. Now they had a witness. This had just gotten harder.

 _Good._

She wanted to put her hands on her hips, completing the feeling of making this yearmate feel like he was ten years old, but Sayo was still comfortably resting with her, so she didn't.

Instead, she stared right into his eyes (which her class hated) and started on him. "This Digimon is just having fun in the rain! Just because there are some bad ones on the news you think all of them will cause a mess! So you pick on one! And they're smaller than you! Hypocrite! Coward!"

Her classmate twitched. She didn't even know his name (which almost made her feel bad, usually she knew the name of every class member but she just hadn't been around long enough here). "You saw what they did on tv, "he started. That didn't phase her. Koushiro-kun could do much better. "These things are dangerous. For all we knw it was faking bein all happy, waiting to blow something up!"

"Sounds familiar," Sayo mused in her arms. The kid didn't react to the sound of a talking rabbit so Mimi ignored it for the moment.

"So... what?" Mimi glared as Palmon went scurrying behind her. Guilt filled her throat. She shouldn't have let her go so far ahead. Of course this would happen. "You go after her before she goes after you?! That's just more proof people need! You'd get yourself hurt if she wasn't so afraid of hurting you!"

"What?" The boy grinned now and leaned in close. "Is it yours?"

Mimi clenched her fists. She would get in so much trouble i she actually punched the guy in his smug mouth but she did want to.

Still, she had her words and her time.

"Yeah!" she said, glaring. "You have a problem with that?"


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five – Some Statements Are Kept_

In retrospect, Mimi herself would acknowledge confronting this guy was a dumb idea. If Palmon protected her, it would be even worse than her protecting _Palmon_ because Palmon would be in more trouble for it and these kids probably had phones just like hers and the images would spread fairly quickly. And they were bad enough as it was before someone whipped out their phone and recorded her.

In this moment, however, that didn't mean a thing. What mattered was that Palmon was being harrassed like so many girls she knew in middle school, on an empty street where even if someone was coming around, they'd pretend nothing was going on. And perhaps she was just that nosy of a person, but Mimi could not and _would not turn away._

First and foremost, Palmon was her friend.

The boy, for his part, didn't know how to respond to her. Good. Punk. He stared, flabbergasted and horrified.

"That thing is yours?!" He parroted, eyes wide. "You're... you're one of those glowing weirdos then! Who think these guys are friendly cause they can talk and don't shoot you when you look at 'em funny and eat your food."

Mimi bristled, words at the tip of her tongue. She couldn't deny it, because unfortunately, a part of that was the truth. She was one of _them_ , she was one of those so-called 'glowing weirdos' but that wasn't why. That wasn't even close to why she trusted Palmon.

She was saved from even saying so by Palmon herself. The plant had drawn herself up to her full, admittedly short, height. She didn't raise her hands at all, but she craned her neck.

"Leave Mimi alone!" She pushed around and forward to stand in front of her. The boy took a timid step back. "You ought to be ashamed! Mimi is kind and honest and gets to know people before assuming things like you! What did your parents teach you, you great bully? Not to make good friends, that's for sure!" With a huff, she gestured to his friends, who were already halfway down a second block and not looking to slow down anytime soon.

The kid looked between them and his friends and his eyes went wide. Then they narrowed as he turned around, gone past fear and embarrassment straight to fury.

However, Sayo suddenly existed. Still dressed in the clothes Mimi had given her, and in mid hop, she made a smooth switch from one foot to another as she roundhouse kicked the boy right in the side and toppled him to the ground. Then, she lifted Palmon under one arm and took Mimi's hand in the other.

"Let's go, before this gets worse."

And she was off, Mimi struggling to keep up with her.

* * *

By the time they reached Mimi's apartment complex, everything hurt. Even her free arm which hadn't been doing much of anything was in a copious amount of pain.

But they were inside now, the boy and his smart remarks left behind. So Sayo stopped and let her rest. Her leg was starting to bleed through the bandages, but she was so busy inspecting the two of them that she didn't seem to notice.

"That was... probably bad!" Palmon wheezed.

Sayo shrugged. "If he tells anyone, it will ruin his pride and make him stand out. Everyone has said that these monsters are dangerous and yet hard to find and he went out seeking for one, breaking from the pack."

 _Like me,_ Mimi thought as she straightened up. _Like my class. Like Meimei._

Difference and individuality weren't quite as celebrated here as she had wished they would be. It was one of the things in America that had fit into her like a missing puzzle piece. Even if you were too weird, it didn't matter as much because there was always someone different. People gave up on caring eventually.

"And he could have died but instead got humiliated," Sayo continued with incredible nonchalance. "If he bothers you in class, well, will it be any worse for you?"

"It might," she said, but she didn't mean it. Mimi was too busy smiling. Because really, who cared? She'd stood up for Palmon and that was what mattered to her. "That kick was really cool by the way. How did you do that?"

"I'm a rabbit," Sayo said, almost sounding offended despite the smile on her lips. "And I''d hardly be able to repay my debt to you if you ended up with your teeth punched out of your head." She made a vague sort of waving gesture. "Now, upstairs?"

Mimi giggled before she could stop it and pressed the elevator's up button. As she turned back, she saw the blood starting to drip. "And we're gonna change that bandage too."

Sayo glanced at it. "I suppose we should yes."

Mimi made a face. "You need to take care of yourself more!"

"Digimon have a high pain tolerance," Sayo admitted. Palmon nodded along. "I actually didn't even notice until you said something."

"It's worse in the Digital World!" Palmon leaped into the empty elevator with delight. She loved the weird piece of technology no matter how much it sputtered, even if it wasn't going up very far like in New York It was just better than the way things worked in her home. "We don't really bleed much like you do. So it just feels achy and not bad." Sayo nodded in agreement and the two of them shared this strange smile that made Mimi's stomach hurt.

 _Digimon make it so easy,_ she thought to herself. It was so easy to share her opinion, sure, and pull people into her circle and make them feel welcome. But keeping them without giving up a part of herself she was willing to let go of, that was hard.

Her friends here had been the only ones to make it seem like there wasn't anything to lose. They already knew some of the worst of her anyway.

"Still," she said. "You've gotta take care of yourself while you're with me, okay?" Mimi paused a second later. "Even after too," she added just to make sure.

Sayo chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. "If you so wish."

Mimi couldn't help but see that as such a _human_ gesture.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six – Where We Are Together_

The apartment Mimi led them to was empty. Mimi frowned and then dismissed it. She had already forgotten that her father was simply going to be out most of the time and her mother had some club tonight? Cooking? Sewing? Books? It was something or other.

In the end it was probably good. She could set Sayo up somewhere like the second closet and no one would be any wiser.

Sayo limped after, the pain in her leg now taking its toll. She was still smiling a little however, but that might be because of the vines loosely wrapped around her middle.

Palmon really trusted so easily. It was sweet.

Mimi went straight for the bathroom, grabbing the first aid supplies. "Palmon, couch!"

"Uhm!" The grunt was perfectly cheerful, even as Sayo herself made a noise in her teeth of annoyance.

"I'm fine," she said. "Better than I was."

"Those don't mean the same thing at all, you know," Palmon informed her in what Mimi thought was a perfectly logical way. She didn't have to look to see Sayo rolling her eyes regardless. It seemed to fit her. Again, that was a really human gesture. The only Digimon that she saw do something like that were ones that were around humans a _lot._

Then again most digimon didn't have eyes that could do that. Maybe it was new, with new digimon. Technology was changing pretty fast. Koushiro had talked about how that would possibly mess with the digital world in some way. She hadn't quite gotten the details, but it made sense. It the hman and Digital Worlds were mirrors on each other, then they would reflect each other... or something.

Retrieving the first aid items, she found Palmon nudging Sayo's leg on top of a pillow on the table. The girl looked annoyed, which Mimi couldn't blame her for. All this fussing made _Palmon_ uncomfortable. Considering she had decided she had a debt over her head, this must be worse. Oh well. She wasn't going to lose her leg on Mimi's watch!

Mimi grabbed a stool and scooted over. "Shouldn't be as hard now," she said. "I'm really good with human legs."

"Cause that's not weird," Sayo replied with a singular raised eyebrow. She rested her hands behind her head, smiling a little now.

"How are your eyebrows that shape?" she couldn't help but ask,taking a wet cloth to red scratches. "Do you tweeze?"

Sayo tilted her head. "Tweeze? That sounds painful."

"It can be," Mimi admits, frowning at her. "You don't tweeze but they have a nice shape onn your face." she pouted. "I'm jealous. How did you do that?"

Sayo shrugged. "Weird luck, I suppose. It rather balances out for my luck with injuries."

"I suppose..." Mimi squinted a bit as she tied the new bandage on and tossed the other away. "Hey are you like other Digimon and can eat anything?"

Sayo nodded slowly. "Barring things that are defined as inedible by default, yes."

Mimi's eyes proceeded to sparkle. "Yay! I have another taste tester!"

Perhaps today would end better than it had started.

Sayo tilted her head. "Um... I'm sorry?"

* * *

That night, the rain continued to fall, leaving her parents drenched as they entered the apartment. They were so tired, they didn't even seem to mind that she had a rabbit sitting on her windowsill and eating something in a bowl.

Sayo had, as rabbits did, stayed far away from them. She had pretty much ignored them. That was for the best to her, she knew. That way they wouldn't try to stuff her in a cage as she had seen humans do to actual rabbits without any understanding of their needs and responsibilities as owners.

Thankfully, the Chosen of Knowledge had researched extensively and apparently had the money to make it work. Money was a concept Sayo wished had been forgotten. Even the Digital World had it in places, which had always struck her as unusual.

She made a face at the rain as they bustled outside of the room. Then, she hopped off, sitting next to the pillow. Even the human partner was joined in on the busy, active nature of the family. They were invested in chatter over real dinner, over times at school and work and people they knew. Close knit, trading love and light barbs for one another, all in good cheer.

Sayo turned to bury herself under the comforter of the bed, the better not to hear it. The sound of the storm made her freeze, ears pointed up straight.

 _Don't be a fool,_ she told herself. _Those times are long gone for you._

That was the choice she had made. If those humans were still alive, perhaps that choice would have been hers to keep making. But they were no longer thinking of her, if they continued to persist.

All she had was this debt, and once it was paid, then she would go back to the only one who remained to her.

So there was no need to be jealous, really. Or upset. These things would all come to an end for this girl too. How dare she desire to see it come sooner, especially with the tragedies that would away them.

There was a clap of thunder and the sound of a chair being pushed out. Palmon made a dismayed noise.

Clothed footsteps raced into the bedroom. "Sayo?"

Mimi moved about. "Where did you go?"

Sayo shifted under the blanket, poking her head out so Mimi could see. "Not far. The ledge was getting cold." Her voice was quiet. The door was open after all.

"You don't like thunder, do you?" Mimi scooped her up (in entirely the wrong way of course, there was no way she would know.) "I found you because it cracked right then, after all."

It wasn't a lie, nor was it the truth. "Aye," she decided to say. "Storms and I are poorly associated. Plenty of terrible things have happened to me in the rain. But it's a good power to have, so I tolerate it."

Mimi giggled and slowly pet her back. "You're so formal. We're friends now, you don't have to be that way."

 _If only you knew._

Such a lovely, sweet-tempered girl. If only she knew all the truths threatening to enshroud her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Places You Can Only Dream Of

Mimi slept that night with the window slightly ajar. The soothing sound of the raindrops was almost a lullaby for those first three or four hours. Palmon was right next to her, also peaceful.

Sayo, however, was not. Her ears were back, but her purple stare remained alert and focused upon the window. Occasionally, her nose twitched. Mimi turned over, mumbling peacefully.

When hours passed, and nothing came, Sayo reluctantly shut her eyes, and went to sleep.

Then, and only then, did someone appear in front of Mimi's window.

The lenses of their glasses shone in the brief flash of lightning, and then they were gone.

Mimi did not move once, but Palmon did. The plant forced her eyes to close again.

* * *

There was quite a lot of rain, tonight.

Himekawa Maki was not fond of rainy days. It always made her think of a terrible time. A time where her limbs were smaller and just as helpless as they are now. She shook her head, smiling wryly to herself. She did not have the luxury of liking or disliking anything. She knew that now.

A coffee cup clattered back onto its saucer. She looked up at Daigo, who smiled sheepishly at her like a scolded child.

"Another long night."

"Always is."

She watched him bite his lip for a moment, a nervous childhood gesture that he only had in front of her anymore. She didn't know what he gained from doing it. He wasn't going to get her back. They were... simply put, out of touch. They were both trapped in a childhood past, in a heartbroken present day that didn't want anything to do with them.

That didn't mean that they got along in the same way anymore.

He cast his eyes about the room. Then he spoke softly. "Hime-chan."

Her eyes lifted back from her screen. She sipped the coffee. "Yes?"

"Are you sure you want to do... whatever it is you're doing?"

Daigo kept his voice steady, solemn, even. Like he wasn't being lied to, like she wasn't using him for one thing or another. Like...

Maki swallowed the lump in her throat before she responded. "I am."

Daigo nodded, worrying his lip outright now. He loved her. She respected that. She respected and appreciated that more than she could put into words. But ultimately... that didn't matter. It couldn't matter. She wasn't well. And the digital world was the last time she -or he- or any of their group had been __well.__

 _ _If going back will change us, will help, will put this to an end, will give him back-__

"Do you really have to do it by yourself?"

She didn't have to look to know his face was flushed and that he was looking away from her. "If you're going to try this again-"

"No!" he was so loud the liquid shook. "I... I don't think that's quite a possibility anymore, Hime-chan. But, if your plan works then... then the others might-"

Maki turned in her chair to look at him. "Don't." She glanced to the corners of the room. "Not here."

Daigo swallowed his Adam's apple. He still looked embarrassed but there was a strange set line to his shoulders. A sadness weighed him down the same as her, she knew. He would be in danger if he joined in. He wouldn't get what he wished for. But there was no guarantee she would get what she desired either. She just... she had to hope.

That didn't mean the whole of their system had to hear about it all, now did they?

Daigo continued to regard her. "Hime-chan. Please. I don't understand how you feel. That said..."

Himekawa Maki said nothing. She just turned and went back to work.

But she didn't stop him from looking over her shoulder. He just had to take that.

* * *

Mimi awoke to the sound of of a chirping bird squawking in terror over her alarm. Palmon squeaked beside her, which made her groan and open her eyes.

Sayo was stiff in her spot, staring at something outside. There was a single bird, tweeting at her like she had caused the world to end and the sky to fall. "Sayo?" She rubbed an eye. "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer at once. Slowly, she turned about to look at Mimi. Mimi stared back, sinking her teeth into her upper lip. Then Sayo cocked her head to the left.

"Teasing," she finally said. The bird had banked off by now. "It was worse earlier. It woke me up. A little scare won't do it any harm."

"It could. Bird hearts beat fast you know!" She picked up the rabbit. "Come on. Let's go eat."

"Don't you have human school today?" Sayo sounded amused, ears going back a little as the human examined her and moved to replace the bandage on her leg.

Mimi huffed. "Of course I do. But that's why I need to replace the bandages now! Otherwise you'll be a mess while I'm gone all day."

Sayo let out a soft chuckle. Her voice was still surprising in how deep it was, because this was a rabbit and rabbits in everything were always high pitched and innocent. "Do you really think I won't join you?"

"I can't bring pets to school.I can't even bring __Palmon__ to school." Which was ridiculous. It would be dangerous for Palmon sure especially with that classmate of hers likely spreading rumors by now. It didn't help that her class didn't like her and anything she did right now. "How would I explain a rabbit in a bag?"

Sayo twitches her nose. "I suppose. But being here in dissecting reach of your parents sounds like a terrible option."

Mimi hums in thought. "Well! Koushiro-kun's not going to school today, he's busy analyzing, so I'll just leave you two with him."

For some reason, Sayo twitched all over. "Charming."

Mimi glanced at her. "Well, if you could hide your ears, you could wander about! And since you won't tell me how you want to repay me-" Which she didn't need to, as far as Mimi was concerned- "we'll just have to think of something! Right?"

Sayo transformed before her eyes into the now familiar shape of the young woman with purple hair. "I suppose we must," she said with a dramatic sigh.

Mimi couldn't help it, she giggled.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight – Heartless

Somehow, Mimi found herself too busy to think.

Even with the whispers behind her back, the rumors about Digimon getting wilder and wilder as the days went on, she still had class and the cultural festival to look forward to. Her friends were still barely talking to one another, even. Meimei wasn't helping such matters, twitching every now and again and looking nervously from place to place. Mimi, guilt in her stomach and the stares of the entire room on her neck, did not reach out the way she wanted to. But she wanted to, she really did.

Still, Koushiro-kun had ended up providing an environment for Sayo to run around in her rabbit form when she wasn't home. This placated her parents, but Sayo was probably very bored and Palmon couldn't exactly stick around. Who knew what kind of trouble she would get into, especially wih another digimon to run around with? No better to keep them apart. She was sure of that.

What she was also sure of was that she was sick of keeping her head down now and it had only been a few days. People kept whispering about digimon. You would think they would just let it go, like some kind of old fad like dying your hair or wearing clogs, but no they just kept talking about it even though nothing was happening right now and unless another infected Digimon came through, nothing _would_ happen. But it was all the same to them, all different things could be the same. It was like racism only more obvious. One of these days, she really was going to explode.

 _Maybe Sayo-chan will talk more about the infection._ It wasn't like anyone but her and Koushiro had talked to the Digimon yet. The real world beckoned and all of that, not to mention she was still healing and had made it worse kicking that kid for her. If Miyako-chan were here they'd likely have more people to get more information but...

That would involve Miyako-chan being here. That would involve her contacting her. And being safe and okay and heck, involved with them even before now. Reflexively, Mimi pulled out her D-Terminal and sent another message. It pinged that it was sent, but that was all. Mimi scowled at the device and buried it under her pillow before burying her face in said soft object to groan as loudly and dramatically as possible.

"That gets a seven," Sayo reported from where she sat on a small pile of hay. It was a little bit gross, but Palmon happily changed the bedding and the like whenever asked, and Sayo helped. Besides, when her parents weren't looking, she was turning human and going through the house as she pleased anyway, albeit very carefully. According to her, human television was entertaining, but also a bit of a time waster.

Mimi had yet to tell her that was honestly the point of it. No point in disappointing the poor bunny girl.

"A seven?" she repeated, lifting her head to fix the bunny girl with as much utter displeasure as she could muster. " That was _at least_ a nine, you know."

"I don't really understand why you're sighing so I can't grade it appropriately." Sayo paused to hope out of her habitat and shift back to human form before her eyes. Thankfully she continued to do so with clothes on or this would be really awkward. This was a _digimon_ , and not even her partner Digimon. It was like... like betrayal or something. If you were going to crush on anyone, it'd have to be your partner right?

Hmph, whatever. It wasn't a big deal, just could stand to be less awkward. Or maybe she was awkward. But what did she have to be uncomfortable with.

Mimi expelled these feelings with a low scoff and a wilting sight. "Just... my junior's been missing a while and I'm worried about her and-" She stopped. "And no one is telling us anything, because apparently we're kids who can save the world but we can't actually save the people we're thinking about."

Not to mention Miyako-chan would have run full force with her ideas. All over it and once in a while, before she finished the thought. She... She missed her. Japan made her itch for a girl's night out.

Sayo sat down on the bed and it squeaked a little with the weight of two girls on it. "The digital world is vast," she said after a while, and Mimi felt the tufted tail twitch against her ankle and that was way more imagery than she had right to think about especially since, according to Palmon, Digimon didn't see romance in the same way humans did. Or attraction of any kind that wasn't companionship really. Then again they were mostly Child level, so... so that was like being kids, right?

There was a nudge against her leg. Mimi squeaked and looked over at her. "Wha-at?"

Sayo smiled that thin line off hers. "I said, would you like me to find them?"

For a moment, Mimi stared at her.

Sayo took that as an opportunity to continue. "The Digital World is vast, yes, too much for even a network of children to comb, to know the secrets of in only a scattered amount of years, to imagine. I however, have been around the block a little bit, so to speak, and have friends in many places. I am also not hindered by your human world expectations. So, shall I look for these people important to you?"

Mimi almost said yes at once, now that she understood. Why not? She sounded like she knew what she was talking about, and it would keep too many questions from being asked and...

"This is to pay me back, isn't it?" And that was what she didn't like. Helping was for the goodness of a person's heart, not to pay back something in return.

That was like Mimi-sama all over again and it made her skin crawl to think about.

Sayo smiled. "That doesn't make it matter any less to you, does it?" She hopped up from the bed. "And besides, they are helpful saviors of the world, much like you and yours. If they are truly in jeopardy, that problem will reach you if it hasn't already, and soon the world as well. That means my world, my home is _already_ in pain." She pressed her hand to her chest. "I must do everything I can. Helping you is an added bonus."

Mimi felt her shoulders ease, the tension thick and full falling easily off her shoulders. Of course, of _course_. That made perfect sense. It wasn't just for her sake. Someone acted in their own best interest and didn't blame it on her alone...

" _You're so annoying."_

"Sounds like a plan!" Mimi rolled over and beamed at her. Then a frown crossed her face. "We need to get you a D-Terminal then. What if you get lost?"

Mimi had never been so delighted to see such a confused face in her life. "A what?"


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine – Streaks of Color_

Koushiro-kun, as made sense for him, was slightly skeptical of the plan. Which was fair, and it seemed like a welcome distraction from whatever he was working on. She wasn't actually sure she wanted to ask.

Thankfully, he did end up asking Sayo the questions instead of her. They still hadn't apologized and she knew she probably needed to. She'd mucked something up that was for sure. But it still rankled. It wasn't like he had been doing anything about people hating Digimon anyway.

 _Because you're high school students, you shouldn't be doing this at all._

Well they already had been so they might as well see it through, right? Even she had acknowledged thatl, in the end. The problem was finding something they could actually do.

"How can you get to the Digital World?" Koushiro had his keyboard prepared and Tentomon buzzing just above his head. He seemed just as suspicious as his own partner and Mimi couldn't fault either of them because that hadn't occurred to her. But then, how else would she have gotten to the human world to begin with?

Sayo, thankfully humanoid, sat in the chair with a bottle of oolong tea in her hands. It was small and nearly full. Her fingers toyed with the cap, purple eyes so utterly disinterested in the goings on, had almost seemed to be ignoring Koushiro at first. Then she looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"Your Tailmon recognized me as an Olympus Twelve," she said. "We are of a kind that tend to..." she paused. "Ignore digital law, to put it politely. We and the Royal Knights, along with a few others share that distinctive ability."

"Would that include someone like Demon?"

"Demon?" The eyebrow quirked a little higher. "Ah, that's right, he came to this world for a moment, looking for something to unseal himself." Her lips curled into a smile. "I hear he's with the Old One, trying to broker a deal."

Koushiro and Mimi looked at each other. "You know about that?" Koushiro's voice was slow, his hand curling around the armrest of his chair.

Sayo nodded, her smile turning to a grim frown. "It's less common knowledge than it was when it happened three years ago but yes. Demon was... interested in the Kaiser. In the power beneath his skin. Usually he's fairly amicable, uninterested in conquest and the like. That said, however, the barriers were weak then, weaker than they are now, for the moment and so he scratched a hole and he went to here. So now he's in the Land Without Color, trying to broker a deal with the Old Ocean King and likely not having a good time of it." She waved a hand. "That one is a finicky soul. More interested in the Light, than anything, but even that is passing."

Sayo watched their faces, watched Koushiro turn white and Mimi start to shiver. It almost interested her, almost, but she did not know where one thing would start and the other ended and it wasn't something they ought to tell her just because she had power and knew very much about how to use it. "At any rate, for me going to be worlds should be quite simple. The holes I make are small enough to sew themselves back together. So long as this crisis remains at a simmer anyway."

She watched the tension seem to ease about her shoulders, eyes quietly resting, waiting in curiosity.

"Please show me." The red boy's voice was stiff with disbelief and fascination.

Sayo sighed. She supposed it wouldn't hurt.

* * *

The flames cracked above the young man's fingers, roaring to life in the branches left on the ground. It burned through them with greedy crackles. The young man sat back, ears drooping down in exhaustion.

"Done," he mumbled. "Done, done, done for today."

The young man rubbed his eyes,. He tugged feebly as the bags under his eyes with his nails and picked himself up from the floor. The fire crackled behind him.

"Nobody asked you," he told it. Moments later, he sighed. "I'm going insane."

He had told her that he would be fine. Well, long enough here had proved that that was not the case. "To be fair," he added to himself. "It's not like she was supposed to be gone this long. She was just patrolling the human world a little."

It was only then that he remembered she was the better one at that reassurance crap and he was the pessimistic know-it-all.

He left the room and its crackling fire, whistling to prove his nonchalance if it burned. Looking between theh stairs going up and the ones going down, the young man went down, almost an endless flight. It felt that way considering the whole way looked completely the same.

"I'm redesigning this place when this is over," he muttered to himself. "Fake winows, candles, the works."

 _That's because you like fire_ ," muttered a voice in the back of his head. He rolled his eyes and went on.

Down below were multiple large tubes. He examined each one by one, noting the vials with the dangling clipboards and turning up the jazz playing overhead. No need for these poor kids to wake up to dead silence after all.

Rounds finished, he wiped the last tube free of fog, purple hair floating in the liquid in vague, twisted tangles.

"Inoue Miyako," Koh murmured. "The name sounds so familiar."

Which was the problem. He was shit with names and faces and yet he just _knew this one was relevant._ But why? Humans were more common in the digital world these days, and their names simply blurred together after a while.

If only it was safe to leave these people here and find out.

Outside, there was a singular, loud rumble.

Koh gave the tubes one last look, and left.

"Fucking Knights," he said under his breath. "If it's not Hackmon, I don't care how many laws you've got over my head, you're going through another server."

From a fist and some fire.

 _Sayo,_ he thought to himself. _Come home soon._


End file.
